A Gothic Space Tale
by X. Foxglove
Summary: In the aftermath of the Dominion War, Kira suddenly marries a mysterious stranger. It's more violent and dark than I had originally intended.
1. Chapter 1

**A Gothic Space Tale**

By: X. Foxglove

It was amid the frantic, mid-morning chaos of Quark's Bar that her dearest remaining friends caught their first glimpse of him. Kira had contacted them in advance from her returning shuttlecraft, inexplicably asking them to assemble in the bar upon her imminent return. Quark later confessed that he would never forget the sight of the station's commander walking into the bar, straight-backed and beaming on the arm of an expensively dressed stranger, the exact cost of his attire too much for even Quark to dare estimate. She strode into the establishment, assured and luminous, directly to the table occupied by her curious friends. She addressed them all at once as their eyes turned expectantly toward her, saying simply, "I want you to meet my husband, Lahn Rathaus."

In front of her, jaws dropped and eyes glazed in momentary confusion. Everyone stared at the dark, stately gentleman on her arm. He loomed like a jeweled statue above them, his features cut from smoky quartz, his hair and eyes like smooth obsidian. Julian was the first to regain himself, immediately rising and extending his hand, "Pleased to meet you, I'm Julian Bashir, station doctor."

"You're rather more than that, wouldn't you say? You are the genetically engineered Star Fleet officer who stood up to Section 31, from what I understand," the man spoke in a deep voice befitting his enormous height, his syllables resonating with a mild Betazoid accent. "It's a pleasure to meet you Doctor. I've heard so much about you from Nerys." At this, he coiled his arm around the Colonel's waist, pulling her closer into his side.

He turned next to Jake. "And you are Jake Sisko," he proclaimed, shaking the young man's hand. The uncharacteristically silent Jake stood promptly and surrendered his hand, which was instantly engulfed in Rathaus' fist.

"What can I get you folks to drink?" Quark broke in. He stood directly behind the couple and stared, bedazzled by the exquisiteness Rathaus' jacket. His entranced eyes caressed the seamless, black fabric. Quark managed a mere nod at Kira's order of expensive champagne for everyone, and, still enraptured, slowly backed away toward his bar.

Meanwhile, an exuberant Kira introduced her new husband to Ezri Dax and Kassidy Sisko, who were patiently waiting their turns. Dax instantly jumped up to wrap Kira in a congratulatory hug. Kassidy, weighed down by her advanced pregnancy, settled for words of good wishes while Jake pulled up an additional chair for the unexpected groom.

"So," Ezri asked, having captured the man's glittering eyes. "Lahn, I take it you're from Betazed."

His smile diminished slightly as he issued a firm correction. "My friends all call me Rathaus." Kira cast him an indulgent glance. "And yes, my family is from Betazed; though I've spent very little time there myself. My principle residence is an estate called Pirovania on Windau."

"Windau? I've never heard of it," Bashir stated. "It's not a Federation planet?"

"You are correct. However, we do enjoy Federation protection." Rathaus settled himself more comfortably in his chair, sliding it farther away from the table in order to cross his long legs. "Windau is a small agricultural planet. Most of the land is taken up with farming or forests. It's more of a series of country villages that anything."

"It sounds wonderful," Kassidy interjected.

"It is. It's probably one of the most beautiful planets I've ever had the pleasure of having seen."

"I take it you'll be living there, not here on the station?"

"We'll stay on the station, of course," Kira replied. "I'm not giving up my commission just because I got married."

"As soon as I can convince her, Nerys and I will take an extended vacation on Pirovania," Rathaus interjected, affectionately caressing his wife's hand.

Quark, having apparently overcome his earlier stupor, reappeared at the table with a tray of champagne. "First round is on the House in honor of Colonel Kira's good fortune."

"Rathaus is in agriculture, not smuggling, Quark," Kira quipped. "I'm not sure your bribes will do you much good."

"It never hurts to make a good impression, Colonel. You never know when a mutually beneficial arrangement may turn up," Quark replied, undaunted.

Jake stood up, "I'd like to offer up the first toast," he lifted up his glass. "To Nerys and her new husband Rathaus. May they always find happiness."

Julian threw in a "Here, here," as everyone clinked their glasses together.

So, how did you two meet?" piped in Dax.

"I had business in the Bajoran capital," began Rathaus.

"See, I told you he was into more than agriculture," Quark nudged Kira.

"He owns several new factories on Bajor that are producing advanced agricultural tools," Kira said proudly. "We met at a shrine. I went there to pray and Rathaus went there to admire the artwork."

"Nerys was kind enough to show me around. Things progressed naturally from there."

"We were married at the same shrine yesterday afternoon," Kira added, wistfully. "The Prophets must mean for us to be together."

"I take it that's your betrothal bracelet? It's lovely." Kassidy asked, gesturing toward Kira's wrist. The bracelet, of pure surax was obviously heavy, and intricately carved with ancient Bajoran symbols. It wrapped snugly against her flesh.

"Yes. The text is from a love poem of one of Bajor's most revered poets. It's almost too heavy to be comfortable. It would be a good weapon, though, if I ever needed it."

In the silence that followed, Julian was once again the first to speak. "If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment I must get to."

"Why don't we all have dinner tonight in my quarters," Kassidy proposed. "We'll make it into a little party in honor of your marriage."

"I know that Nog will want to come along," Jake added. "He's on duty now in Ops."

"That would be wonderful," Kira replied. "And why don't you honor us with some of that famous Sisko cooking?"

Rathaus nudged his wife, "There is no need, dear. We'll just have it catered."

Jake perked up, "I'd love to. Of course, I'm not as good as Dad was."

"Don't be modest. Jake," Kira said, putting her hand on his arm. "You're a worthy successor to the Family specialty."

Rathaus' eyes narrowed slightly at seeing the affectionate gesture. "You'd better get back to work, Nerys. I know you have a great deal to do."

"But I wanted to show you our quarters."

"I can find them myself and get settled in." His tone was soothing and compliant, a marked difference from his momentary expression.

"All right," her expression was tender. "I'll go to Ops and get started, then meet you in our quarters before the party." He kissed her forehead in reply.

"Okay, then," Julian stated. "We'll meet in Kassidy's quarters at 20:00."

The participants uttered various enthusiastic affirmatives and then went their separate ways.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

An accumulated work load kept Kira late in Ops so that she was irritated as she hurried toward her quarters that evening. But upon stepping through the doorway, she abruptly stopped, staggered by the scene that greeted her. In one short day, Rathaus had utterly transformed her home. Her tasteful, yet sparse furnishings had disappeared, replaced by wall-to-wall opulence. She stood, transfixed by the velvet sofa and delicate, carved chairs. End tables of rich, exotic woods were scattered around and ancient tapestries clothed the walls. Most striking, perhaps, were the clusters of Bajoran lilacs that covered every available surface.

Rathaus, who had obviously been awaiting her return stepped from behind her where he'd been waiting by the door. "Welcome home," he whispered.

Her ingrained terrorist's instincts took over and she rounded on him,

her arms ready to strike, before recognition set in and she backed down. "How did you," she paused and glanced over the room once more, "do all this?

He smiled indulgently, "Your friend Quark can arrange some amazing things for the right compensation. Of course, I sent for most of the furnishings before we left Bajor. I hope you approve."

"It's. . . beautiful. Just a little overwhelming."

"Well, go ahead and get dressed or we'll be late. I took the liberty of ordering a few things for you as a sort of wedding present." He stepped over to the counter and started to pour himself a drink. "I think the ivory dress will do nicely for tonight."

Kira said nothing more. She merely stepped into her newly opulent bedroom and changed into her newivory dress.

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The party was already in full swing when the bridal couple arrived. A waiter, Kira recognized him as one of Quark's best, stopped them as they stepped through the door of Kassidy's quarters and offered them a drink from his tray. They both accepted and then wandered over to the group gathered in the living area where Kira was welcomed with hugs and kisses from her friends. Rathaus had already made known his opinions on familiarity and so was greeted by mere smiles instead. Kira took a seat beside the heavily pregnant Kassidy and murmured "I thought this was going to be a simple dinner." Kassidy looked at her in surprise and replied, "Rathaus called me this afternoon. He said the two of you had agreed upon a formal, catered affair, instead."

Rathaus, in a conversation with Dr Bashir, said soothingly, "I wanted to surprise you, my dear. This is, for all purposes, our wedding celebration."

"Yes, of course," his bride stumbled. "I was just confused."

Thinking it an odd response from the unflappable Kira, Bashir turned sharply and studied her for a few moments before Rathaus returned his attention towards him. "Is anything wrong, Doctor?"

"Nothing at all. Now where were we..."

"That's a beautiful dress," Ezri, sitting on the other side of Kassidy, ventured. Kira was indeed stunning. Rathaus, with his highly developed sense of taste, had known exactly what would suit his new bride. It was a simply cut sheath of fine Terran silk. The mellow ivory fabric blended with her skin tone into a near-perfect match. "Thank you," the Colonel acknowledged. It was a gift from Rathaus."

Her attentive husband spoke up once more, coming to stand in front of her. "And I have one, final, gift for the evening." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a flat box which he then handed to a startled Kira, announcing, "My official wedding gift to my lovely bride." She opened it and was immediately awed. It was an unusual choker boosting a string of enormous, rounded, deep red Cardassian rubies and flanked by two, relatively thin rows of Terran diamonds. A large, central ruby teardrop was designed to hang just at the hollow of her throat. Her husband took it from her paralyzed fingers and fastened it around her neck. "I sent for it the day you accepted me. It is my favourite among my family heirlooms. Legend has it that the diamonds were acquired when Betazed joined the Federation."

Her fingers gently caressed the stones around her neck, "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to say. You now own a fortune in jewels. This is just a trifle." He turned to the rest of his awed companions. "And now, it's time for us to eat."

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When they returned to their quarters after the party, Rathaus had again transformed their quarters. Candlelight flickered throughout the rooms giving them a soft, golden glow. Soft, romantic music played in the background. Kira was once more, taken aback in awe. Rathaus used her hesitation to kiss her, then lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He set her gently on the bed and swiftly removed their clothing. Then, pinioning her arms above her, and using no words, he made love to her with fierce abandon. Only after he was finished did he release her arms and embrace her before drifting off into a deep sleep. Something in the wine that evening, Rathaus had described it as an exceedingly rare vintage, must have calmed her, because, for the first time since their physical relationship began, she did not feel like crying.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

That night, long after the party had broken up and while Rathaus slept soundly beside her, Kira let her thoughts wander back over their whirlwind courtship. They had met in the Bajoran capital during the autumn. The ancient city had been transformed into a glorious playground by the stunning, rich colors of its abundant trees

Kira had set out on her first morning to visit one of the metropolis' numerous monasteries. She sought a measure of peace and comfort which eluded her on her beloved station. This was the first trip she had managed to take since she had assumed the position of station commander at the end of the war, the first since Odo had left her for the Gamma Quadrant. Kira still deeply grieved the loss of Odo, who had been gone several months. At night, her dreaming mind forgot about his departure and she dreamt of his face and his voice, her body responded to his formless caresses. The dreams always ended abruptly, leaving her flushed body suddenly frozen and in shock. She tried to avoid the security office, unable to avoid the involuntary anticipation that thumped through her heart at the mere sight of it. She found the shock of reality more painfully than any of the many physical wounds she had suffered in her life. He had been more than just another lover, he had been her best friend and confidante. Though, at the time, she acknowledged the necessity of his leaving, she later failed to understand why the Prophets had demanded such a complete sacrifice of her. After all, she had already lost all of her family and most of her friends.

She had also mourned the loss of Ben Sisko, the Emissary. She missed his wisdom and calm judgment, fearing its loss to the Bajoran population, who were still struggling to overcome the scars left by both of the Occupations. She missed the company Kirayoshi and the O'Brien's, the closest that she had yet come to a post-Occupation family. The grieving and combined losses exhausted her, and had sent her in search of rest and clarity.

After a morning spent in prayer and consultation with one of the vedeks, Kira had happened upon an unfamiliar man in one of the monasteries' many walled gardens as he sat on a stone bench studying an unremarkable piece of statuary. Lost within her own thoughts, she paid little attention to him, walking quickly past him so as not to disturb the stranger. "It's beautiful isn't it?" he said suddenly, staring rapturously at the statue in front of him. Nerys was startled by the comments. "Yes, it is," she replied distractedly. It was only then that she took particular note of him. He was immensely tall and dressed in a quietly, tasteful tunic and trousers of deep brown.

"You've barely noticed the statue. Look closer," he replied playfully. "Come, sit down a moment and study it for yourself. I assure you, you won't regret the inconvenience." Kira hedged a moment. She did not welcome the company, but was unsure of how to quickly extricate herself without breaking the peaceful spell over the garden. "I promise, I'll only keep you for a moment and then you can continue your ramblings." His presumption irritated her, but she dismissed her immediate reaction to curtly dismiss him. So she sat down on the bench beside him. "Now look at the details of the face, doesn't the expression seem to come alive after a few minutes. Notice how she seems to be looking just off to the side, as if she's seeing someone that we haven't just yet. The proportions and angle of the body are perfect. The sculptor has caught her the second before she moved."

His voice lulled Kira into a calm, almost sleepy daze. She looked up into his eyes, barely noting that he was a Betazoid. "That was beautiful," she murmured. "I never thought to look at it that way."

"Now aren't you glad you took a chance and trusted me?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," she replied, unwilling to break out of her sudden daze.

"My name is Lahn Rathaus," he stated. "And you would be?"

"Colonel Kira Nerys."

"Not the Colonel Kira, of Deep Space Nine?"

"You've heard of me?"

"Of course, I've heard of you. Everyone has heard of you and especially of the great space station Deep Space Nine. You're a war hero."

"I've never thought of it that way."

"Well, you should. The entire quadrant owes you a debt of gratitude. If it weren't for you, we'd all be slaves of the Founders by now."

"It was a combined effort." She reminded him.

"Ah. So you've decided to be modest about it. Well, now that we've been properly introduced, will you consent to show me around the monastery for a while? I've never been here before." Surprising herself, she smiled and agreed to a tour. His face bloomed into a smile, and taking her hand, placed it in the crook of his arm. "Then I'll let you lead the way, Colonel."

They took the long tour that day. She explained the history of the monastery and the basics of Bajoran religion while he raved about the artwork. In between pieces, they chatted about themselves and their lives. Rathaus had come for the famous art treasures. A seasoned traveler, he had been waiting for the end of the Dominion War in order to study Bajor's treasures in the landscape in which they had been created. By late afternoon, they had seen most of the great monasteries' offerings and Rathaus invited her to dinner at one of the capital's most elegant restaurants. Kira, feeling relaxed and happy, accepted his invitation. Afterwards, she agreed to his proposal to meet for breakfast along with his first offered kiss, a light brushing of the lips. Within a week, they had explored most of the capital and its many treasures. They had met for every meal since that first day. A few days later, she accepted another proposal from him. This time, it was a proposal of marriage.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

One slow night, way past midnight, as Quark polished glasses behind the bar, Colonel Kira sauntered up to him. She had not been visiting the bar as often as she used to, but work had it that Rathaus was off the station for a few days on a business trip. The room was in a quiet lull, the few new patrons present and all of the regulars were deeply involved with their drinking. The bartender took one look at the expression on her face and immediately reached for his private stock of Maraltian seev-ale. "Long night, Colonel?"

"I'm not discussing this with you Quark," came her terse reply.

"Then what about discussing it with Vic? I hear he's an expert in the field of love and life."

Her face darkened even further and the frown deepened into her features. She had not seen Vic since the night Odo left for the Great Link. Kira hesitated a moment, then sat down on a barstool. "I'd rather talk to someone who knows something about marriage"

"I may have only been married for a few days, but I've seen a lot of marriages." He leaned up against the bar. "You'd be amazed at how much of life you can see in a bar. People come in search of companionship, date here, fight here, make-up here, break-up here - a few even get married here."

Quark stopped polishing drink glasses to study her. "Let me guess. The happy groom isn't as accommodating as he seemed at first?"

"What would you know about it?" Suspicion gave her voice a steely edge.

"Like I said, I've seen a lot of marriages. Perhaps the excitement has worn off and you're wondering if you've made a mistake." She sighed and studied the bottom of her empty glass. The Ferengi was worried, Kira should have torn him to pieces for such a presumptuous statement. In fact, the Kira should not have come to him at all, yet she had, quite definitely, sought him out. "At least he's rich," Quark comforted her. "You can drown your sorrows with ancient liqueur and jewels."

"You know me better than that," she exclaimed suddenly, staring emphatically into his eyes.

"I thought I did," he said, then decided to push harder. "Why did you him marry so quickly? I never took you for the materialistic type." His voice grew more serious and took on a pained quality. "You could have waited a little for Odo's sake, you know."

Her face grew darker and tears welled up in her eyes. "We both know that Odo isn't coming back," she hissed, then slammed her glass down on the bar and stalked out.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A few days later, well into an evening, Julian and Ezri lounged together in a booth at the back of Quark's bar. They had just lost the great battle in yet another of the doctor's suicidal holo-fantasies. The conversation drifted to station news as the couple lingered over their drinks. "Have you seen Rathaus lately?" Ezri asked suddenly.

"No, he mainly keeps to himself," the doctor answered. "I haven't seen much of Kira either, aside from work."

"I was afraid of that. We haven't talked since the party."

Bashir's interest was piqued. "Do you think anything is wrong?"

Dax's pixie face creased in concentration and her eyes grew unfocused. "I don't know. They are newlyweds," she paused. "But even for newlyweds, they're a little scarce and Betazoids are typically extremely social. Nerys and I used to get together at least twice a week."

"I get an odd feeling about him; he's so uptight and formal. Have you noticed how possessive he is of her?"

"It's sort of obvious. But it could just be that he hasn't adjusted to their being together. After all, he hasn't had to share her before this and now he has this whole station full of people who want her attention."

"Now that we're on the subject, what do you think of this marriage? Professionally, I mean" Julian asked.

"We're having clinical meetings in Quarks, now?" Dax smiled.

"I was going to ask you, anyway. But we could wait until tomorrow, if you would prefer."

"I really can't say," Dax hedged. "It's all so sudden."

"And Nerys was awfully depressed after Odo left," the doctor added. "If she had asked for my professional opinion, I would have advised her to wait longer, especially after all the stress and changes she's endured recently."

"She really wasn't herself even before the marriage, though she tried to hide it." The Trill thought hard for a moment. "If only we knew more about Rathaus himself."

"I suppose that I could ask Ambassador Troi. If he's a wealthy Betazoid, she must know something about him."

"That's a good idea. Meanwhile, I'll invite Nerys to lunch the day after tomorrow. Make sure she's okay."

"Why don't you try to see her tomorrow instead? Tell her you need to see her about a personal problem. She's always made time for her friends in the past."

"You really are worried about her aren't you? That's so sweet," Dax intoned.

Julian gave her a wide-eyed, innocent look. "I thought that was what attracted you to me in the first place."

"No, it was your eyes – and your annihilation fantasies." They laughed and snuggled closer together.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Well, Nerys," stated Julian as he flipped closed his tricorder. "It's time to start stockpiling those handkerchiefs. You're pregnant."

"Really?" exclaimed the ecstatic Colonel as she sat up on the biobed. "I mean, I only stopped my shots two weeks ago."

"What can I say, you two are quick workers," the doctor teased. "It's a healthy Betazoid/Bajoran hybrid."

"There are some anomalies in your blood chemistry, but nothing that's toxic to you or the baby. Have you been taking any herbs or eating any unusual foods?"

"Nearly everything I've been eating since I met Rathaus is somewhat unusual for me," she answered.

"Well, for now, why don't you stick to the foods you're used to eating. Like I said, it's nothing that should be dangerous to either of you."

"I think I can handle that.

"So how long will I carry?" she asked, already scowling at the idea of a long pregnancy.

"Let's see," replied Julian. "Betazoids carry for ten months, Bajorans for five." He made a great show of deliberate thinking to irritate the colonel. "I'd say about eight months, seven and a half if you're lucky." He laughed at her consternation.

Her eyes narrowed even farther and her forehead puckered. "Eight months!"

"What can I tell you? Next time have a full-Bajoran baby." He smiled at her consternation. Don't worry, at least this one shares half his, or her, physiology with you. We'll take good care of you," he promised.

"Well, I think it's time to share the good news with Rathaus. He'll get to spend the next eight months with a miserable pregnant woman. I think he'll willingly make the sacrifice, especially since it's half his fault." She smiled to herself as she jumped off the biobed. "Eight months, though!"

."At least Bajorans and Betazoids are compatible," he called out as she made for the door. His commanding officer speared him with one last glare as she hurriedly left the Infirmary.

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That evening, Kira held fast onto her secret. She let it linger on the corners of her consciousness, happy that Rathaus had not shown himself to be a particularly powerful telepath. She wanted to savor it alone for awhile. She wanted to imagine what his response would be, think of him, overwhelmed and ecstatic over the miracle that would sear them together forever. She waited patiently while he sifted through his afternoon commuiques. She waited through the long, elaborate dinner that had become their custom. She even waited through their languid foreplay. Only when he was perched above her, ready to take that final plunge into ecstasy, did she gasp her secret to him.

The effect was immediate. He stopped midair, stunned by the news. Slowly, he sank down to lay beside her. "Are you sure this is what you really want?"

Her eyes grew shadowed, "I thought it was what we both wanted? We planned it from the beginning?"

"A baby will change everything between us. You won't have much time for us."

She sat up beside him, an angry edge biting into her voice. "We discussed this before we married. We both agreed that we wanted children as soon as possible."

"I still don't think you understand just what we'll have to sacrifice because of this."

Her temper flared. "Of course I know what's involved. Two weeks ago, you couldn't wait for a child. You insisted I stop taking my birth control shots. You couldn't bear to wait any longer" Kira's steely voice punctured each successive "you" with more violence. Underneath, she felt waves of betrayal, hurt and confusion.

"Don't lose you temper with me," he growled. "Lose it with your coworkers and subordinates, but don't you ever lose it with me."

"I'll lose my temper with you and anyone else who deserves." Her voice increased in depth and volume with each successive word.

Rathaus moved quickly. With lightening speed, he her pinned down, his fingers twined around her neck, his body securely on top of hers. He shook her as he spoke. "I said don't ever lose your temper at me. Your Resistance skills be damned! I'll crush your neck before you're able to so much as scream."

Kira knew she had no way out, so she relented, willing her body to relax. He felt the change and released her with a final shake. "We won't discuss this again," he said. "I'm sorry for losing myself a minute ago. You just surprised me. I never expected you to conceive this quickly." He leaned over and kissed her burning cheek. "It won't happen again. I promise you."

He got up from their bed and, leaving his wife, walked out of the room. Kira lay still with fury and shock. All the months of loneliness and self-doubt combined with new emotions of betrayal and entrapment. She curled up and let the tears flow over her face until she finally fell into a fitful sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Rathaus showed every outward sign of being devoted to his wife and her passions. He attended services at the Bajoran Temple, left her small presents in unexpected places, and finally remembered not the fill their quarters with the Bajoran lilacs she so hated. He even paid visits to Ops in order to surprise her, a place he previously avoided. It was on one of these impromptu visits that an incident occurred which would eventually divide the small social group. The day had been relatively quiet with no unusual transports or overly rude captains to deal with. Nog manned his usual station. Julian had come up to give his daily report. Dax had also arrived to give the Colonel her daily report. Rathaus suddenly showed up about two hours before Kira's shift ended. He came bearing his one of his gifts, a box of her favourite chocolates this time. He sat on the sofa in her office tossing out pleasantries as she worked on reports. It was the usual routine of such visits. She always tried to forget her memories of Odo relaxing on that same sofa during the Dominion War. Suddenly, her combadge beeped and Nog explained that her presence was needed. The two stood together. "I can handle this. Don't let it bother you," said Kira as she headed for the door.

"Nonsense. I'd love to see you in action." He approached her and put his arm around her shoulder.

"It's not standard protocol for a civilian to appear in Ops."

"You? Worried about protocol?" he laughed. "I think we can dispense with standard protocol in my case," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the neck.

She gave him a half-smile. "This once, for you. But stay in the background. I'm having enough trouble with Starfleet lately."

"Of course, my dear." They both walked out and stood on the upper level of Ops beside the steps. "On screen, Lt." As the screen flickered to life in front of her, the Colonel began down the short flight of steps. Suddenly, she tripped and fell down the duranium steps right in front of Admiral Colti. Her husband, standing directly behind, did not have the time to so much as reach out for her. Julian Bashir, an odd expression on his face, was the first at her side and whipped out a medical tricorder. "I'm fine, Julian," Kira said.

"I just want to be sure, Colonel." He quickly ran the tricorder over her. "You have a fractured wrist, but otherwise just strained muscles and tendons." Kira's face was dark, "Can I speak with the admiral now?"

"Yes, of course. We can patch you up as soon as this is over."

Kira stood up and greeted the admiral whose face smirked with superiority. During the entire call, while Julian stood close by and watched over her. Rathaus remained calmly on the upper level. Only after it was over, as Julian helped her to the infirmary, did her husband lend a hand.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Later that night, Bashir and Dax huddled together in their favourite booth at Quark's. Another courageous, ill-fated holosuite battle lay behind them. The doctor was particularly agitated; however, his beloved hobby had failed miserably to calm him.

"What's wrong, Julian?" Dax asked, peering up into his troubled face.

"Have you managed to speak to Kira?"

She sighed heavily. "No. It seems that, as long as Rathaus is around, she never has the time. It's so unlike her."

Quark had walked up to take their drink orders. "If you ask me, nothing she's done since she left the station for her Bajoran retreat has been like her. She even came into the bar the other night to get advice from me. Marriage advice."

"That's certainly unlike her," the doctor mused, his forehead creased even further in concentration. "When was this, Quark?"

"While that husband of hers was on a business trip."

Jake walked by as Quark replied. "You guys talking about Colonel Kira?"

"That depends," Julian answered. "Is 'Jake Sisko the reporter' asking, or is 'Jake, long-time station resident and friend' asking?"

"I'm just asking as a friend. Though 'Jake the reporter', has found some information that may be of interest."

"Then join us," Bashir invited. "Just remember that everything said here is completely off the record."

"Of course," the young Sisko answered, taking a seat across from the couple. Quark remained standing at the head of the table.

"What's this information you mentioned?" Dax asked.

"It's not good. Rathaus has been married at least twice before, and both wives died under unusual circumstances. His first wife was a senior government official within the Federation and his second was a high priestess of some sort. Their deaths were officially ruled as accidental, but there are rumors that there might have been more to it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find out much more than that. More information should be in the Federation News Archives, but it's not."

"That's more than I've been able to discover," Julian commented. "I've been trying to contact Ambassador Troi on Betazed, but she's been on holiday and can't be reached.

"I keep going over her fall in Ops today and it really concerns me. Rathaus made a quick movement just before she fell, but he was directly behind her and I couldn't see what he did."

"Do you think he pushed her?" Quark asked.

"Or tripped her – I just couldn't tell," the doctor answered. "What do you think, Ezri? You were there, too."

"Unfortunately, I was concentrating on the viewscreen when it happened. He looked very surprised when she fell, though he is a telepath of some sort. He could be capable of influencing us, sending out suggestions to make us perceive what he wants us to."

Quark finally sat down beside Jake. "I like this marriage less and less."

"We all do," Jake said. "The question is what are we going to do about it?"

"Nothing for now," Julian answered. "We don't have anything more than supposition. We need to gather more information before we do anything else."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Kassidy shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "You've decided definitely on going to Pirovania?" She and Kira were having tea in Kassidy's quarters.

Kira smiled pleasantly at her companion. "Yes. I want to see his life, how he really lives. We'll be back long before the baby comes."

"But I thought you didn't want to take so much time off from the station?"

"I didn't want to, originally," the Bajoran explained. "But it's important to Rathaus that we spend some time together. It's been very stressful on him to live just on the station."

Kassidy grimaced; this was not the Kira she had grown to know. "I'm a little more worried about you. You've had too much change in your life recently. Rathaus has it easy by comparison."

Kira picked up on her friend's disgust and hastened to explain it away. "I know you have reservations about him, but he's really a good person. He has taken excellent care of me."

"Since when do you need taking care of?" Kassidy exclaimed. "This isn't like you, Nerys. You're too strong and independent to need any man."

"I didn't mean it that way. He's very kind and considerate."

"I'm sure he is," Kassidy still made little effort to hide her dislike. "I don't like the idea of your going so far away. You need your friends around you."

"I'll be fine. You said yourself that I'm independent. Besides, I'll be living in absolute luxury. Rathaus wouldn't let anything happen to his child. I'll probably be safer there than here at the mouth of the wormhole."

Kassidy did not agree with her friend and still harbored strong reservations about the proposed trip. She relented, however, knowing Kira's stubbornness and seeing that she was set on the matter. A few days later, Rathaus and Kira left for Pirovania.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Pirovania was built to amaze the eyes of its beholders. The house, obviously immense though it merged seamlessly into the mountain behind it, was carved of a brilliant, white quartz-like stone. It jutted from the irregular mass of land behind it in a series of flat-roofed terraces, covered walk-ways and connecting staircases. The mountain itself was covered in trailing, flowered vines, bushes sporting enormous multi-shaped leaves and miniature trees. Here and there through the vegetation, its bald face of gleaming crystalline could be glimpsed.

Kira and Rathaus beamed onto Pirovania's meticulously manicured lawn in the late evening as the shadows laid claim to its corners and edges. The early evening displayed the scene at its best. The dark, glossy grass was highlighted with bunches of light-reflecting flowers that glowed amid beds of darker flora. Dark forest surrounded the lawn on three sides providing the secure feeling of an enchanted fairy-land. Overhead, an opalescent violet sky reigned over the magnificent vista. Kira gasped as she took in the enormous lawn and looming manor house. Rathaus beamed, obviously pleased by his wife's reaction. Light streamed from its numerous windows, bathing the couple in its warm glow. "What do you think?" he asked. "I had all the lights turned on, just so you could see it."

"It's amazing."

"It is," he replied confidently. "And this is just the main lawn. Tomorrow, you can roam the house and grounds to your heart's content. Pirovania is full of all sorts of unexpected surprises." He leaned over and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "But now, why don't we go in and get settled. I can't wait for you to see your rooms."

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That first evening at Pirovania, Kira sat by the crackling holofire reading, while Rathaus sat across the room going over estate business. It was a pleasant, quiet night, and Kira felt warm and cozy in the little study. When he had finished his work, Rathaus walked over and sat by his wife, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Nerys, darling, I hate to leave you so soon, but I absolutely must go to Betazed tomorrow on business that can't be delayed."

She looked up from her book, annoyed. "But we just got here. I thought we were going to spend some time together. Wasn't that the reason we left Deep Space Nine in the first place?"

"I know the timing is horrible, but this business can't be postponed. You run a space station, surely you understand. I'll only be gone a few days and after that, we'll spend the rest of our vacation together."

"I could come with you. I've never been to Betazed. It's supposed to be beautiful. We can tour the planet together between your meetings."

"I'm afraid, I'll be tied up almost constantly. We wouldn't have much time to sightsee." He squeezed her shoulder. "You can have fun exploring Pirovania on all your own. I'll have Alsasia, our housekeeper, show you around and answer any questions you may have."

"I'd rather travel with you, but since you'll be so busy, I guess I can do without you." He smiled at her. "That's the spirit. Now there are a few things we need to go over before I leave. You'll oversee most of the estate in my absence. My foreman Goltar will advise you and do most of the work. Goltar sometimes needs to be reminded that he's not in charge." He went on to explain some of the basics of how things were carried out.

"Of course, you're welcome to anything here. In fact I want you to look around. This is your home now. The computer in my office is, however, is not part of the rest of the system. It's for my personal business outside of the estate. Please don't use it. There are a few things I want to keep to myself for now, at least until I get used to sharing my life with someone else"

"Of course, there are things you want to keep private. I respect that."

"Good. I'm glad that's understood. I'll leave early in the morning while you're still asleep. You shouldn't be disturbed that early. He stood up and took her hand. "Now why don't we take a moonlight walk before we go to bed. It's a lovely night."

"That's a wonderful idea," she replied as he led her from the room.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

As promised, Rathaus had long since departed when Nerys woke up late the next morning. Although, she had always been an early-riser, the former resistance-fighter found that lately she was exhausted all of the time. Nerys told herself that it must be her pregnancy. True, she had had more energy when she had carried Kirayoshi, but Bashir had told her that every pregnancy played out differently. She certainly felt more complacent than she had during her earlier pregnancy.

The colonel lingered over her breakfast, served to her in bed, enjoying the opportunity to be able to do so. The morning sunlight flooded her bedroom through its enormous windows. The room was decorated in Rathaus' lavish taste, and was quite unlike her more understated style, though he had thoughtfully had a Bajoran prayer mandala placed there. She did love its balcony, however. It towered over the lawn and was wide enough for a small table and comfortable chairs, the perfect place to sit and contemplate the landscape beyond.

After breakfast, she called Alsasia for her tour. The older woman arrived quickly, bringing a maid with her so that Kira's room could be straightened immediately. Alsasia was an older woman of indeterminate species. She was quiet and obviously efficient but was uncomfortable answering questions about herself. Kira was unable to learn much about her other than that she was a life-long resident of Windau, but had only recently been employed as housekeeper. The other maid said nothing besides wishing Kira a good morning.

Despite Alsasia's reluctance to talk about herself, she gave a detailed tour of the house. The building was impeccably decorated, filled with the collected treasures of exotic worlds. The floor plan included several lavish guest suites and sweeping reception rooms, though its master rarely entertained there and kept only the minimum number of employees required to run the sprawling estate. Very few of those employees stayed overnight on the estate and those that did maintained regular homes in one of the planet's small communities.

The only residence of consequence on the small agricultural planet of Windau, it dominated both its landscape and economy. The estate itself covered several mountain rifts and valleys. Concealed from the view of the great manor house was an active, modern farm. The grounds produced a great deal of the planet's food. Rathaus was particularly fond of his lavish stable of thoroughbred Vicarian Razorback horses and had reserved huge chunks of pasture land for their use.

The most notable feature of the property, despite its size and many beauties, was its security system. Attributed to Rathaus' eccentricity by the local residents and his few friends, the security system was a state-of-the-art celebration of force-fields and detection equipment. Rathaus liked his privacy.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Kira was irate. Two days after Rathaus left, he contacted her to say that he would be longer than originally expected. This was their honeymoon, she thought as she threw another datapadd down upon his desk. He communicated with her only once to say that he would be late and ask her to send an important document that he had forgotten.

During this time, her languor slowly began to dissolve, increasing her energy, her curiosity, and her annoyance. Suddenly everything irritated her, even the pressure of her betrothal bracelet on her wrist. Within a few days, she began to leave it in her room.

She was not particularly taken with the great Pirovania. It was a vast, beautiful estate, but it held little for her. It was too quiet, too peaceful and too perfect. Everything was meticulously maintained and absolutely tasteful. It told her nothing of the man she had married, and, in his continued absence, she was desperate to know more about him. Alasia was too quiet and uncommunicative. Under her influence, the entire household staff became voiceless ghosts. Goltar seldom visited the mansion and barely spoke when he did. When she tried to send messages to her friends on DS9, Kira discovered that the comm. systems were down and hours of trying to repair the problem failed. She felt cut off from the rest of the world.

Three days after his departure, his computer console caught her eye. It was nearly the only place on the entire estate that she had not explored, yet it seemed to be the one place where she might find the answers that she sought. At first, she ignored her curiosity, mindful of his privacy and request. As she continued her searches, however, her interest grew and in no time, she found herself requesting access. Oddly enough, the computer sprang into life at once. She had expected to need a password or code to get in.

A moment of guilt shot through her as she thought of the man who obviously trusted her enough not even to protect his precious computer files with an access code. As she scrolled through the files, she was shocked to see files bearing her name. Some of the files had not accessed the computer since they had met and married. Aflame with curiosity, she immediately opened it, but her body grew cold as she studied the file. It contained everything about her - biographical information, service record, comings and goings, and even all her recent personal correspondence sent from DS9. Obviously, he had managed to compromise station security. He had been stalking her since at least the end of the war. Her horror grew as she realized the consequences. She had obviously been duped by a con-artist. Her marriage was planned well in advance.

As hard as she tried, however, she could not come up with a motive. The war was over; Bajoran politics had reached a relatively calm spot. Rathaus had even actively campaigned to get her to leave the station instead of using her position to gain power and influence. Worse still, were the implications on her judgment. She, a decorated war hero, the commander of the quadrant's most strategically important space station, had fallen for the whole scam. Now, she was trapped within a force-field on an insignificant planet few people had ever heard of.

With no other options, she realized that she had to conceal the extent of her knowledge from Rathaus in the hope that an opportunity to escape would present itself soon. She quickly wiped her commands from the computer's memory core. She then returned upstairs to her room where she replaced her betrothal bracelet and tried to think of a better plan. Sitting on her balcony in the sun, however, her recent flurry of activity caught up to her. Her anger and fear dissipated somewhat and she dozed off.

Within a few days Rathaus returned from his trip, relaxed and pleasant. Kira's mood had drifted back into languor and complacence by the time he arrived. She remembered her discoveries, but no longer felt alarmed or threatened by them. She could always confront him later, but at the moment, he was so charming and attentive, it was no longer a major concern.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The sun had set long ago and the evening was well advanced one evening when Kira and Rathaus sat down to dinner. Dinnertime was important to Rathaus. He ate at exactly the same time every night. Dinner was always served in Pirovania's cavernous dining room, on fine china and crystal collected throughout the known universe. Kira found these formal rituals unnecessary. Her husband ignored her misgivings and required her to dress formally for the occasion. He especially liked her to wear the ruby choker he had given her as a wedding gift.

This evening, Kira was nearly late, having been out walking in one of the gardens. Her gown of ivory brushed Teralian silk glowed fell gracefully around her growing belly. Rathaus was at the sidebar, pouring himself his usual drink. He handed Kira a drink sitting beside him.

"Have a drink, my dear," he offered as she sat down. "You look lovely tonight."

Kira's eyes narrowed at the flattery, but she accepted the drink. Sitting down at the enormous table, she was surprised to see that dinner consisted of Bajoran cuisine. Rathaus dined each night on the food of a different world, but he had yet to order anything from Bajor.

"I thought you would enjoy something from home for a change," he said in response to her unvoiced surprise.

Kira took a sip of her drink, forced a small smile to her lips, and thanked him, whereupon he took her arms and led her to the table.

She was about halfway through her meal when she started to feel queasy. Her interest in the meal vanished as the sickness became more pronounced, eventually forcing her to flee the table.

As she huddled on the floor of her elaborate bathroom the nausea continued to grow even after she had emptied the contents of her stomach. Cramps shot through her mid-section and back. Within the hour she began bleeding profusely and soon the floor was soaked in blood. Oddly, no one came to assist her.

For what seemed like hours, she lay there, alternately moaning in pain and losing consciousness. By this time she knew with certainty that she was having a miscarriage and, furthermore, was powerless to stop it. She also knew that Rathaus had poisoned her. He would not come to her aid, nor would he be sending for help.

An unknown time later, Kira noticed the miniature fetus, too small, even, to see the ridges on its nose. Tears burst from her as she realized that the fight was over. Her hopes and dreams for an end mourning and lost had died along with her child. She was now completely alone, trapped on the magnificent estate.

Eventually, the cramps died down and the nausea faded away. Nerys was able to stand up with difficulty. She hobbled to the sink and washed the blood off herself. The mass of fetal tissue was disposed of in the recycler. She left the pool of blood on the floor, however; she was too tired to clean it up. The Bajoran Colonel just managed to hobble to her bed where she promptly fell asleep, too exhausted even to cry.

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Nerys awoke the next afternoon to the sunlight streaming onto her body through the windows. Before she was fully conscious, Alsasia bustled in.

"Oh, I'm so happy to see that you're finally awake," the older woman commented. "You gave us quite a scare at first. When the maid saw all that blood, she nearly gave you up for dead."

Nerys moaned and hid her face in the pillow as the effects of the previous night grew perfectly clear.

"Now don't worry, you're healthy; you can always have another. This one just wasn't meant to be."

The housekeeper called a maid for Nerys' breakfast. She stopped and looked long at the woman in the bed.

"We're lucky we didn't lose you. If you'd just called one of us, we could have called a doctor. I couldn't imagine going through that kind of trauma alone," she sighed. Then Alsasia seemed to come to herself. "Nevertheless, it's done and you've survived it."

At that point the maid came in with a tray of food and placed it by Nerys' bed. The housekeeper finished her bustling and left the room soon after the maid. Nerys was left alone again to face her demons.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Kira waked quickly when she felt the pressure against her head. Rathaus hovered above her in the dark bedroom, his hand pressing upon her neck, a phaser to her brow.

"So much for your famed Resistance skills," he hissed.

Kira knew she could not resist him from her position. The pressure upon her neck was too great for her to speak, cutting into her flesh. His phaser left little doubt as to intentions.

"So how do you feel now, Colonel," he asked with a wretched smile. "Not quite as tough as you were on that station of yours, eh?" Kira remained perfectly still and quiet, unwilling to provoke her attacker.

Saying nothing more, he slowly released his clamp on her throat while the phaser inched slowly down the cheek. Its tip never lost contact as he lowered its aim down her throat and shoulder, dragging the neck of her nightshirt with it. It continued lower past her breasts and into the center of her stomach where it stopped.

"Do you know what a low-level phaser blast will do to you, all alone, here, in the middle of the night? I know you do. I'll bet you've done worse things than that to your Cardassian enemies before.

"I can go lower if you wish. Think about it. The great and fearless Colonel Kira, found naked and impaled on a phaser. Killed in her very own bedroom."

Nerys continued to say nothing, to lie in absolute stillness, watching his every movement intently.

"It's no use, Nerys. I see you studying me, calculating in that brain of yours. I won't be making a wrong move tonight," he sneered.

He slid the phaser down the front of her body and suddenly pushed the phaser hard into her, causing bile to flood into her mouth. Then he turned calmly and exited the room, locking the door behind him. Kira was left alone, retching uncontrollably, with her fear and anger.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Nerys considered the woodlands at Pirovania to be one of the estate's best attributes. In the days and weeks following the loss of her child, Nerys sought refuge in their deep shadows and unbroken calm. She could sit and stare at her surroundings for hours, surprised by how quickly the days passed. Her miscarriage and captivity left her with an impenetrable depression. She had great difficulty forming and retaining thoughts, even more so than before the miscarriage. Rathaus was no help to her, for it was clear to her that for unknown reasons, he had poisoned her drink that night. The housekeeper and maids were of no assistance; the specter of rank reared up in even the shortest of conversations. Nerys also knew that she was a prisoner on the estate, though she no longer cared.

When she first arrived at Pirovania, she took long walks through the woods for exercise. Later, she took them in search of the forcefield's power source, or a way to escape. She still had no idea where the security system was even controlled despite her earlier, frantic searching. The joy of her new marriage had turned to survival in her first weeks on the plane and now survival had turned to depression and loss. These days, she sought the woods only for solitude.

The shadows amongst the trees hid her tears as she sought a favourite glade. The loud calls of the birds muffled her sobs. She sank to the ground in utter desolation. Nothing in her past, not the Occupation, nor the loss of Odo, not even the deaths of her family, had prepared her for the loss of her child.

She sat quietly, weeping low into her hands, her eyes covered by her fingers. At first, the light touch upon her shoulder did not register in her mind. The knowledge that she was no longer alone slammed into her suddenly. She jumped and swung around to find her intruder. The sight of his familiar face froze her instantly. Her voice was unsteady with tears and the quick shot of adrenaline. "Odo?"

"Nerys." His posture, rigid, cautious.

"How did you get in here?"

He relaxed somewhat. "Rathaus' security is not quite as impenetrable as it is reputed to be. When the forcefield was lowered to allow a transfer of grain to leave the estate, I simply became part of the grain. Apparently, your husband never expected a changeling to visit."

She did not know what to do. She wanted so badly to run into his arms and beg his forgiveness, but she had no idea what his reaction might be. She had married another man mere months after leaving him with the Great Link. Kira felt ridiculous in front of him. The woman who stood before him now was nothing like the woman he had left standing on the rocky shores of his homeworld. She had been reduced to a mere shell, a sad specter of the indomitable Colonel he had left. She had allowed herself to be seduced, then horribly abused, by a sociopath. Yet she bravely stood there, presenting her decimated spirit to his shadowed eyes.

"Why are you here?" she finally asked.

"You have good friends on Deep Space Nine. They thought that you might need help; Quark came to the Great Link, himself."

"And you came all this way, you left the Link, for me?" she asked tentatively.

"Nerys," his expression softened, "I will always come for you."

His answer finally broke down her reserve and she fell into his embrace. She buried her head in his shoulder, crying softly, "I never thought I'd see you again."

"Oh, Nerys," he murmured, his lips in her hair. "What has he done to you?"

After a few minutes, she calmed down and pulled away from him, only to lose herself in his familiar, blue eyes.

"I have some things we need to talk about. I've found out some unpleasant things about Rathaus."

"Of course," she regained herself. "Sit down. This is the best place to talk. No one ever comes here." She sat down on the ground once more, preparing herself for yet more misery.

Odo sat beside her, stretching his long legs in front of him, and took both her hands in his. "He's a very difficult man to trace, which raised my suspicion immediately. Most of the information was discovered by Jake through the Federation News Archives, though Jakes agrees with me that there should be much more information in the Archives than there is. I think Rathaus has been actively removing information when he can. Jake was able to discover that he's been married several times and while he'll never be prosecuted due to legal technicalities, he probably killed at least two of his wives.

Rathaus' first wife served as a government official on New Saturn. Less than two years after their marriage, she fell out a third-story window, at this house, onto a rock walkway below. Before her death, she contacted members of her family predicting that he might try to harm her.

His second wife died as a result of an overdose of an illegal aphrodisiac mixed with alcohol. The second Mrs. Rathaus was reported by her husband to be very fond of this extremely rare and expensive aphrodisiac, which is odd since prior to her sudden marriage, she served as high priestess in an extremely conservative religious order. They practiced sex only for the act of propagation and then only under very specific circumstances.

"No one seems to know what happened to his parents, or where they might be at this time. However, Rathaus conveniently managed to inherit this estate along with the rest of their considerable wealth. According to Ambassador Troi, he is considered an outcast on Betazed and appears to avoid contact of any type with other Betazoids. In fact, despite his extensive travels he seems to avoid all telepaths. It's particularly unusual because Betazoids are, by nature, extremely social. Mrs. Troi was unable to tell us anything about his telepathic skills. It is possible that he can influence non-telepaths as well as read their thoughts."

His hands tightened around hers. "I'm afraid for you, Nerys. I think he's controlling your thoughts and feeding off your pain. He targeted you for your strength. The longer you suffer, the more of a high he's getting."

Here eyes welled up in tears. "I'm so humiliated." She told him about her discoveries on his computer.

He pulled her close to him. "You didn't let this happen. Rathaus carefully coordinated everything so that he could use your strengths against you. I think he wanted you to know that you'd been caught. It's the only explanation for the lack of security on his computer. You're still the same Nerys; he's using telepathy and terror to keep you from realizing that. No one could withstand an assault like this.

"The most important thing is that we get you out of here as quickly as possible. Getting you through the forcefield will be a problem, though. Until I can find the power source, no one can enter or leave without Rathaus' permission.

"Given the type of women he seems drawn to, Bashir and I think he's using something more than his telepathic abilities to control you. Do you have any insight into what that may be?"

"No. He poisoned my wine a few weeks ago, though." She winced before going on. "I miscarried later that night."

"I'm sorry." Odo glanced away from her for a moment. "That must have been terrifying."

"Did you know?"

"About your pregnancy? Yes, Bashir thought that it was important to tell me about it considering the circumstances."

"I'm sorry."

Odo looked bewildered. "For what?"

"For running off and marrying the first man who asked. For never marrying you – for getting pregnant."

He pulled her toward him in a tender embrace and whispered into her hair. "Nerys, I love you, I want you to be happy. I wish we could have stayed together, that I could have given you a child. But that was impossible and I'd hoped that you could go on with your life."

She relaxed into him for a moment before pulling away and returning to the business at hand. "He could be using anything. He has control of everything I eat, drink, and breathe. He even chooses my clothes."

Odo thought for a moment. "Whatever it is, he's probably using the same delivery method every time. Rathaus isn't the type to leave too much to chance. It would have to be something you come into regular contact with so that he can keep the doses consistent."

"I'll try to pay closer attention. It's not so easy anymore, though. I kept forgetting things even before the baby died, but it's much worse, now."

He hugged her close. "You're no doubt suffering from depression on top of all the mind-control. Right now, you should try to rest and build up your reserves. Let me look for a way out.

"I need to have a better look around. I wanted to find you as soon as possible." He let go of her reluctantly and stood up. "Keep to your normal schedule as much as you can. Rathaus can most likely read your mind, but I'd like to keep him unaware of my presence for as long as possible. Will you be alright here?"

She nodded. "I have to appear at dinner later this evening, but I can stay here until then. I'm relatively safe out here." Kira reached out for his hand before uttering a simple, "thank you."

He reached down for a moment and stroked her cheek. "You're welcome," he answered before turning and walking away.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Rathaus was eerily calm at dinner. Kira could tell something was amiss from the moment she entered the dining room. He stood over at the sideboard pouring them both a drink. Except for the night he had poisoned her, he had not offered Kira a drink since they had left DS9. The glasses clinked together in ringing tones as he uncharacteristically spilled some of the liquid as he poured.

When he turned around, his black eyes blazed through Kira. "So - where is your shapeshifter friend?" he asked.

Kira suddenly realized how easily he could read the truth in her mind, even if his intricate security measures had failed him. There was no point in denying Odo's presence. "He didn't exactly give me an itinerary."

He started toward her, growling. "I should kill you where you stand."

Kira took a defensive stance against the gigantic Betazoid. She had no intention of allowing Rathaus to damage her more than he already had.

He lunged forward like lightning and with his arm extended knocked her backwards.

With Kira knocked off her feet, he lunged at her once more only to be stopped by a golden tentacle around his neck. Odo, who had been posing as the fire in the fireplace, then tossed the massive Rathaus to the other side of the room, where he hit the wall with a thud.

Odo immediately bent down beside Kira to assess the damage. "I'm fine, Odo. Thank you," she said, catching her breath.

From across the room, Rathaus sneered, "So glad to finally make your acquaintance, Mr. Odo. I expected you might pay us a visit, what with your being such a dear, close friend of my wife's." The man jumped back to his feet. "Won't you join us for dinner? We three have so much to talk about."

Odo and Kira both stared at him incredulously. Rathaus continued, "No, I insist. Sit down." He pulled out Kira's chair for her, and indicated another for Odo across the table. "I would have had a place set for you, but I've heard that you don't actually eat."

When they were both suitably accommodated, Rathaus took his chair at the head of the table and began his meal. "Eat, my darling," he goaded when Kira just sat there. "We can't have you waste away, now can we?" Kira picked up her fork, but failed to actually take a bite, but her husband ignored her to tuck into his own repast.

"Now, as I see it," he began between forkfuls, "my darling Nerys is stuck here, even though she has grown tired of my company. You see, I made sure that she would not be able to leave even before she arrived. You don't even know where the controls for the shield are located, do you, dear?" He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the changeling. "Mr. Odo, you can presumably leave whenever you want to, but that would destroy my fun. So I have a little proposition for you both. If Mr. Odo here leaves, Nerys, dear," Rathaus turned back to Kira and smiled, "you die. That is, the minute I can't find Odo, I'll kill you. And I promise it won't be as easy as a phaser blast this time.

"As I said before, I expected you might show up, so I took the liberty of preparing for your arrival, sir. I realize, of course, that you can transform yourself into whatever nasty shape you can think of and overpower me. So I have taken a few precautions for my own safety." He gestured toward the sideboard. "I know you recognize that little device." Looking over, Odo recognized a quantum stasis field generator, the device that Garak had once used to force him to retain his shape, but this version was small enough to be worn around the waist. "You can expect to feel its effects whenever you are within fifty meters of me."

Kira and Odo sat quietly, horrified, but not entirely surprised. Rathaus continued his meal. "Nerys, sweetheart, fix me another drink, and have one for yourself. You look a little pale."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

After forcing Odo's presence at his home, Rathaus did everything possible to keep him in Kira's presence. He enjoyed playing with his prisoners as if they were marionettes. Through little, daily contrivances, he forced their intimacy in the hope of tempting her into betraying the marriage vows she had been tricked into making. Rathaus stayed away from them, trusting his ability to read Kira's mind to keep him informed of their behaviour. Dinner was always an exception, however. They were forced into an uncomfortable, threesome for the formal meal, while Rathaus quizzed them about their days and subjected them to threats and petty innuendo.

It was during one of their long afternoons together that Odo made an important discovery. He and Kira were in the library together, a cavernous room filled, floor to ceiling, with ancient paper books lined up on enormous bookshelves. While Kira napped on a plush sofa, the changeling amused himself by perusing the many old volumes. He was primarily interested in the books themselves, but, in the back of his mind, he knew that much could be hidden safely away in and behind such an enormous array of volumes. A book of old Earth legends gave him the idea. It was a story of a young human woman who had been poisoned by an ancient Egyptian bracelet unwittingly given to her by her fiancé. The bracelet had concealed gold teeth that, when the jewelry's clasp was latched, shot out into the woman's skin and delivered the dose of deadly poison.

Kira tossed restlessly, and, looking at her, Odo's attention was diverted to the glittering betrothal bracelet on her wrist. He walked over to the sleeping woman and examined the bracelet more closely. It had always been unusually snug on her wrist, even though Rathaus had insisted that he'd had the bracelet made especially for her. Taking it off her wrist, Odo ran his fingers carefully along its inside. Nothing. Then he latched the clasp, relaxed his humanoid fingers into his natural substance, and inspected it further. This time he noted tiny, regularly spaced holes along the top and bottom edges. The holes would not be easily detected by a humanoid, but they were certainly large enough to act as miniature hyposprays. He could not be positive until he access a computer and do further testing, but he was confident that he had finally, found the delivery device for whatever drugs Rathaus was using to control his wife.

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Late one evening, Kira was once again awakened by a hand covering her mouth. She awoke with fear blazing in her eyes, fully expecting Rathaus to be standing above her with a phaser, or worse, in his hand. Rathaus had left after dinner on a business trip, but it would be just like him to return unexpectedly. This time, however, she recognized Odo's anxious face above her. He released her as soon as she recognized him, but he remained chilled by the instant fear in her face.

"I'm sorry I frightened you. I had to see you before I left and this seemed the only way to avoid Rathaus' staff seeing me leave." She frantically grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into a gentle, deep kiss.

When she pulled away, he looked startled, then he pulled her to him and kissed her hard, much the same as in their first kiss. They held onto each other feverishly, their lips fusing together in a desperate attempt to reach each other's paghs. He pulled back just enough to slip his hands beneath her nightshirt to caress her bare skin. She clutched at him wildly, his body a column of molten lava. He slowly eased himself down upon the bed, his body yearned to connect, to link, with her. Her lips left his to lavish attention on his neck and torso. He looked down upon her glorious face and then reality slammed into him.

"We can't do this, Nerys."

Breathless, she stopped her ministrations to look up at him. "Why not?"

"It's not right." His eyes were filled with anguish. "You're Rathaus's wife now."

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I suppose it doesn't matter if he's a sociopath and the marriage is a sham?" she asked, her voice low and labored.

"He'll kill you, Nerys. It's what he's been waiting for, an excuse to torture murder you and still make you feel guilty for it."

"He'll kill me, anyway. He doesn't need an excuse; he'll use anything."

"He's enjoying himself too much to kill you just yet."

"I wouldn't put anything past him."

"That's true, but at the moment, he's managing to control both us. I suspect it's too much for him to give up lightly."

"I'm sorry I got you involved. This must be humiliating for you."

He cupped her face with his palm, his thumb lightly caressing her cheek. "It's more torture than humiliation. I can't stand to see him abusing you, threatening your life day after day."

She sighed in frustration and sat up. "You said you were leaving?"

"Bashir and Ezri are waiting for me in a small hotel on the other side of the planet. I have to get your bracelet to him so that he can analyse it and come up with an antidote. We also have to come up with some sort of plan to get you outside of the forcefields and away from the planet. With Rathaus gone, this might be my only opportunity."

"You didn't tell me they were here, too."

"I didn't want Rathaus to know, and I knew there was a strong possibility he could read your mind." He watched her expression for a moment, wondering if she would be angry at his withholding of information.

She sighed again and kissed him lightly. "I suppose I'm lucky to have so many friends. You'd better go; you don't have much time."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"We were afraid you were dead."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Doctor." Odo joined his friends at a corner table in bar they had arranged to meet in weeks before. Dax and Bashir had been there night after night waiting for Odo to meet with them. "I suppose it's obvious our plan hit a snag."

"The bartender has already memorized our favorite drinks. I think he suspects we both have a drinking problem," Dax commented. "Why else would a pair of honeymooners spend their every evening at a bar?"

"Not that we're the only couple who spends most of their time here," Julian added. "Though we may be the only ones who came armed with anti-toxicants."

"Well, that's a relief," Odo replied. "We need all the antidotes we can get at the moment." He handed Kira's betrothal bracelet to Bashir. "I suggest you don't touch the inside of this without protection. It appears to be fitted with tiny hyposprays."

"An unusual way to dispense drugs," the doctor commented as he studied the inside. "I've never seen anything quite like it."

"I suspect Rathaus had it custom-made, though by whom, I have no idea," Odo said.

"I'll have to take it back to our quarters to analyse it. How is Nerys doing?"

"Not well. He poisoned her to induce a miscarriage. She doesn't seem to be suffering physically from it, but he's also been beating her. The physical damage appears to be mostly lacerations and bruises."

"The physical damage?" Ezri queried

"It's hard to asses her mental state. She's heavily drugged. Once we realised that he was using the bracelet as a delivery device, she stopped wearing it when he wasn't around, but that seems to have had only minimal effects in clearing the drug out of her system."

"It sounds like whatever it is has a long half-life," Bashir deducted.

"We don't have much time for analysis. Rathaus read Kira's mind. He knew I was on the estate almost immediately and has threatened to kill her if I try to leave. He's off-planet for a few days, but we don't know when he'll return."

"Let's get started then. The necessary equipment is in our rooms. We can get into further detail while I work," the doctor suggested.

"I'll go out now," Odo recommended as he stood up. "Meet me behind the bar in five minutes."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Nerys walked back from one of the valley gardens where she had attempted to distract herself from her predicament. So far they had been lucky; Rathaus had not yet returned. She walked leisurely, admiring, despite her predicament, the beauty of her surroundings as the evening shadows intensified the colours of the leaves and flowers around her. Lulled by the songs of the insects, she did not hear the soft step behind her and barely felt the flash of pain against her skull before her world went black.

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The pain hammering at back of her head hit her first. Opening her eyes, she saw nothing but a haze of colour for the moments it took for her focus to return. She lay on the cool flagstone roof of the roof of the Pirovania manor house. It was dark. She was dressed in her uniform, but the jacket had been left off. Instead of its high collar, she recognized the cold feel of Rathaus' ruby choker at her neck.

"It's about time you woke up, my dear." She heard her husband's voice from behind her head. He walked into her field of vision as she struggled to stand up. "Your changeling has abandoned you. I can't seem to find him anywhere, but you already know that."

She finally stood, mildly dizzy, and faced him silently.

"You realize that now I have a promise to keep." He spoke calmly, his voice even and soft. "It's a shame, really, I was enjoying myself so much. I mean, when I started this little venture, I honestly expected to savor only your fear. The terror and destruction of a war hero with your reputation was quite a coup for me. Think of my excitement, though, when the heroic Constable Odo came running to your side only to fall into my humble trap. I'll certainly have trouble topping this. But that's all in the future, for now, I get to enjoy your deaths."

She let him talk while she tried desperately to force her mind to focus. Her muscles were cold from lying rigidly on the stone. The months of inactivity and mental numbness heckled her. She tried to grasp the strings of a plan for escape, but they slithered away as soon as her mind got close to them. Humiliation started to seep up into her thoughts, distracting her further.

"Odo, unfortunately, doesn't leave me much room for creativity. Once he manages to return, and I'm sure he'll be here soon, he'll get to enjoy the sight of your poor, broken body in the days it takes for his own to wither away. I do hope he takes the time to regenerate before coming back.

"You, on the other hand – oh, I've fantasized for months about the possibilities you pose. Nothing's too good for my Nerys." Having finished this part of his speech, intoned with the drama of long planning, Rathaus turned from her to retrieve the long, double-bladed knife that had been lurking behind him, out of her sight. "This is another family heirloom." Its edge caught the moonlight and glimmered as he calmly stepped toward her.

The sudden glittering triggered some forgotten train of thought within her. Her body went on red alert. She forced the humiliation away from her mind and focused intently on his movements. She reminded herself of his arrogance, something that could lead a person to make mistakes. She also knew that her strength and fearless reputation had attracted him to her, compelled him to form an elaborate plan to conquer her. That meant, he was afraid of her. She could exploit that fear to gain another advantage.

Outwardly, she gave no indication to her attacker of the awakening within her. She stood as still as a panther, allowing him to approach her with growing confidence and excitement. Rathaus kept his eyes on at the bloody necklace at her throat, occasionally letting them drop to in greedy glances at her spotless, white blouse. He came with half-an-arm's length of her and raised the knife above her shoulder. As his arm began its downward plunge toward her, she bent suddenly and threw her shoulder into his pelvis, using his own momentum to throw him off balance. He fell forward at the same time she pivoted behind him. His body hit the ground with a thump, the air knocked out of his lungs and the knife sliding from his hand and across the stone floor. He recovered quickly and raised himself with a snarl, but she was ready. With her hands in a fist, she slammed them into the back of his neck and shoulder. He fell again. He tried to stand again and she kicked him in the head, glad that he had chosen to attire her in her uniform and boots.

He was slower to recover and she had time spin back in the direction of his knife. She bent down, reaching behind her to grab it. He growled as he rose up and grabbed one of her ankles. She fell hard, but managed to keep a hold on the weapon with her arm extended over her head. He savagely jerked her limp body toward and underneath him. The rough stone terrace bit into her clothes and skin. His powerful fist crushed the bones of her ankle. Suddenly, she slammed the knife into his throat. Blood spurted over both of them. He fell heavily on his side and tried to scream, but the blade had punctured his trachea. Instinctively, he clutched at the wound and she used his distraction to drive the knife between his ribs. Blood again drenched them. She raised herself onto her knees and stabbed him once more in the chest with all her strength.

Kira hovered over him, ready to pounce once more if the need arose, watching as his movements stilled and his eyes glazed over. His panicked breathing slowed and finally ceased altogether. She watched him, knowing he was dead, even as her own body relaxed and was chilled by his cooling blood.

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Hours later Odo found Kira still watching the body. He approached softly, gently calling her name in an attempt not to startle the obviously disturbed woman. It was much the same as the time that he, Sisko, and Bashir had discovered her next to the body of a mutilated Cardassian, heavily pregnant and dazed with sedatives.

She turned slowly towards the sound of his voice and watched him approach. He was relieved to see that she did not appear to be badly hurt. Ignoring Rathaus' corpse, Odo asked if she was injured. "In the end, he was an easy kill."

"I suspect that was why he needed his telepathy and drugs. He was most likely aware of his weaknesses and that caused his need to control and destroy women he saw as threatening. It is often the way of serial killers."

She looked startled at his words. He just needed to look at her to understand. "Yes, he was a serial killer. You were one of several women he targeted, the only one to survive. You had no choice. There is no reason to feel guilty about it."

"But for some reason, I do feel guilty."

"That's the difference between you and him. Are you sure that you're alright?"

She nodded. "We need to call the authorities, somehow."

"The farm workers have arrived for the day. The foreman knows the access code to the forcefield. I'll go down and find him. I don't think he'll be displeased to find out that his boss is dead. Rathaus was a difficult man. Why don't you lay down inside? I'll be back in a few minutes.

She nodded and tried to stand, her legs were numb from sitting in on position all night. She stumbled and only then realized how badly her ankle had been crushed. He went to her, silently lifted her in his arms and carried her to her bed. "Are you sure that you'll be alright?"

"Yes," she answered. "For the first time in months. I'm fine".


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Later that evening, after the authorities had all gone and a low-key dinner with Julian and Ezri had ended, Odo walked Kira back to her rooms at the hotel. They had checked in to their friend's hotel after the initial enquiries were over, neither wanting to spend another night in Rathaus' mansion. In the morning, they were due to travel to a Federation starbase, as a requirement before Kira returned to command on Deep Space Nine. The official inquest was scheduled to be held during the same time. The particular station chosen by Starfleet specialized in post-trauma recovery. Both people deeply dreaded the thought of a long stay under the scrutiny of Federation doctors and therapists. Odo especially hated the idea, but agreed to go so that he could spend the time with Nerys.

The planet's huge orange moon held sway over a vivid, starry night as the two slowly walked in silence along the wooded path towards Kira's rooms. They held hands, each mutually lost in their own conflicting thoughts, but taking comfort in their togetherness. Finally, they reached her door and stopped. "I hope you sleep well, Nerys. I'm afraid I haven't been much company tonight."

"Neither have I. I think that was what always made us so good together. We both know how to be quiet."

He looked around him, stiffly, not wanting to leave just yet and knowing that she needed rest. "I should be going. We've both had a long day. My rooms are just up the path."

She took both his hands to stop his leaving. "Odo - I know we've both been through a lot in the last few weeks, but we may not see each other much once we reach the station and then you'll go back to your people. Would you stay with me tonight? I'm not asking you to make love to me or spend the night reliving this horrible mess or do anything that would make you uncomfortable. I just want to be with you."

He looked steadily into her eyes. "I would like that. Not that making love to you could ever make me uncomfortable, but I know what you mean. Tonight I just want to be with you."

She smiled slightly, for the first time in many weeks, and led him inside. The room was large and comfortable, decorated in sweeping white with dark wooded furniture. Floor-to-ceiling windows swathed in white gauze dominated its otherwise unadorned walls. It was beautiful and simple, nothing like the oversaturated luxury of Rathaus' home.

Her things, her old things, had been left in the room and she stepped out the room for a quick shower while he entertained himself by wrapping himself around one of the bed's four heavily carved posts. She smiled again when she returned, clothed in one of her own comfortable nightshirts, and saw his golden form. Walking over to him, she gently stroked his surface. "I've missed watching you shapeshift. Somehow I can sense your joy just by watching you. You sparkle more, I think."

He unwrapped himself and reformed in front of her. "I didn't mean to disturb you," she explained. "I find it so soothing to watch you, to touch you."

"It's very soothing for me, too. It's funny, I feel so raw, so violated right now. I can't imagine wanting anyone to touch me, and yet, the feel of you next to my natural form seems so right that I can't help feeling more secure."

"I know just how you feel. The thought of going to a starbase and allowing doctors to probe my body and mind, after all this, is revolting. But, you're different from anyone else. I want you to hold me. I want to fall asleep and know that you're next to me."

He gently pulled her into bed and called for the lights to go out. She snuggled into the deep mattress, pulling the covers snugly around her. Odo returned to his gelatinous form and slipped under the sheet, settling close around the curves of her body, enjoying her soft warmth. Her fingers lightly caressed his surface until she fell asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The same group that celebrated Kira's marriage to Rathaus a few month's before gathered again to celebrate the end of the legal investigation into his death.

"And you were never able to identify the drug in the bracelet?" Nog asked.

"He was an intelligent fellow, alright. It will be perplexing Starfleet Medical for some time to come," Bashir answered. "From all available evidence, we believe he used the same drug, or a derivative of it, on all of his murdered wives."

"At least it's finally over," Kira commented. The investigating committee had declared Rathaus' killing a matter of self-defense. After a month of physical and mental rehabilitation, she was finally free from all medical and legal entanglements.

"So what are you going to do with all that money?" Jake asked her.

She gave him an incredulous look. "Since the marriage has been declared illegal and Rathaus has no family, most of it is going to the planet of Windau. They deserve it. He terrorized them for decades."

"The colonel, however, has been awarded a civil settlement for her false imprisonment and emotional distress," explained Quark as he handed round drinks, "which I am investing for her for a modest fee."

"And is going entirely to charity," added Kira.

"Entirely to charity," parroted Quark, who obviously did not approve.

Kassidy turned to Odo, who had barely left Kira's side throughout the ordeal. "When are you returning to the Gamma Quadrant, Constable?"

He took Kira's hand in his as he answered. "In a few weeks. Nerys has a few more weeks of leave and I thought I would help her use it before I go back. Besides, the Link disdains the concept of time. For them, it is a preoccupation fit only for solids. I intend to use that to my advantage for a change."

Kira smiled at him. "But he'll be back for visits occasionally. For now, we thought we'd spend some time together on Bajor. We have some unfinished business to take care of."

Bashir lifted his glass. "Here, here." Their friends laughed around them as they toasted their happiness.

The end

_Acknowledgments: I'd like to thank Tracy Hemenover for her DS9 Encyclopedia and Lexicon. It was a great help in looking up those technical details I can never remember. It goes without saying, or it should, that I do not own Star Trek nor do I intend to infringe upon Paramount's rights._


End file.
